Electric mold



`lune 28, 11932. JfF, QSBORNE 1,864,666

ELECTRIC MOLD Filed April 4, 1930 INVENTOR ATTORNEY i Patented JuneV 28, 1932 TOEN l'. OBBQBNE, 0l' UFPER DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA ELECTRIC IOLD Application ma apra 4, mo. sei-m mi. 441,616. d

This invention relates to molds, and more particularl to electrically heated molds.

One of e objects of this invention is to provide an electric mold to form joints be@ .tion and method of operation, together with other objects and advanta es thereof, will be further explained in the ollowing detailed description having reference to the accom- `20 anying drawing which consists of the folow'mg ligures:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, having 26 a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mold showmg it in semi-applied position.

Fig. 5 is a diagram representative of a cir- Iao cuit which may be used with the device.

The unproved device is illustrated in the drawing as an annulus having two substantally semi-circular portions each provided with a` heating unit. These units each ccmprise an inner plate 5 and an outer plate 6, and said plates may be substantially U-shaped in cross-section. The plates 5 and 6 of each unit are oppositely posltioned with respectto each other and the flanges of the lates 5 fit within the flan es of the plates 6, he lates 5 and 6 of eac unit are secured toget r, and provide. a casing within the chamber of which suitablev insulating material is inserted, as will be presently described.

The end of one semi-circular unit is suitably hin ed it 7 to an end of the other unit. `At the -ree ends of the semi-circular units each lof the inner plates 5 is provided with parallel extensions 8 and the outer plates 6 are rovided with angular brackets 9. The

brac ets are positioned on the outer surface of the plates 6 and secured by one ofA their legs to said plates.- The other legs of the brackets extend upwardly-from said plates inoppositely inclined directions with respect to each other, and one leg is provided. withl an o ening 10, .while the other leg is provide with a slotll.l The o ening and slot are adapted to receive a bo t 12, equipped with a head and a Wing nut, which serve te clamp the free ends of the semi-circular elements together. When so clamped the parallel extensions 8 on one of the inner plates abut l coinciding extensions of the opposite plate, and an opening is provided between the arallel abutting extensions through l w ich molten solder compound is introduced to form a joint about rthe cable ends, as will be presently described. s

The semi-circular portions are each provided with a pair o heating elements arranged in parallel positions. f v

These elements may be of well known type for heating Where the coiled wire of resistance for carrying the current used for heating purposes exhibits a high resistance per unit of ength. The current for heating the resistance units may be either director alternating, and flows rfrom its source and returns over conductors (Fig. 5) through the coiled resistance elements 14, causing these elements to be heated in a manner well understood. Terminals 15 for the conductors may be affixed to the plates 6 in any suitable manner, and a bracketl 21 carrying a bushing may be also aiiixed to one of the plates 6 to support a cable carr ing said conduct-ors.

T e material 16 which is positioned in the chambers between the plates 5 and 6 is a highly dielectric substance, andis so molded about the resistance elementsA 14 as to maintain them properly separated from each other so that the cannot become displaced and cause any s ort circuit between each 95 other or the casing. lThe molded material as stated covers the resistance coils 14, and a relatively thin layer of the material is provided between the coils and the inner plates 5 to permit heat generated by the coils to 100 (ill be transmitted therethrough. A relatively thick layer of the molded material is applied to the ends and to the inner sides of the plates, and a sheet of asbestos may be applied to the inner top portions of the plates to ro- Vide insulation to restrict the escape of eat generated by the coils outwardly from the casing. A space may Ibe provided between the encased coils and the asbestos lining Jfor tubing of any suitable character carrying conductors connected to the ends of the coils.

To show an example of one use of the irnproved device, it is illustrated in Fig. 4 in the operation of being applied to form a joint between a large cable 17 and a series of small cables 18. The conductors within these cables will be considered as being properly spliced together, and the smaller cables extend through perforations in a disk 19, which is applied to the end o f the sleeve 20. A second disk 22 having perforations through which the smaller cables extend is spaced a suitable distance from the disk 19 to form a joint at this point. The disks may be composed of lead or other suitable material, and may be made in sections if desired so that they may be removed after the joint is completed. Fibre or muslin filling may be placed in back of the inner disk to prevent molten solder from running into the sleeve. The distance between the disks is slightly less than the thickness of the mold so that it completely covers the space between the disks. The improved device is positioned .by bringing the two semi-circular portions together over the space between the two disks, and the free ends o f the device are clamped together so that they assume a position as indicated in Fig. 2. hen the mold is in position current is applied to heat the resistance coils to the desired degree of temperature. The molten solder compound isrthen poured through the opening between the extensions 8 at the top of the device. The disks in their initial set-up act as a container to hold the poured solder in place. The pouring of the molten solder compound is continued until it penetrates the lspaces between the smaller cables, and completely fills the space between the disks so that a joint is formed of a diameter equal to that of the disks. After the molten solder is poured into the cavity between the two disks they become a part of the joint. When the inside faces of the disks and sheathing of the small cables have become heated to a molten stage, the current is turned ofi', and after the solder has cooled suiiiciently, the bolt securing the two free ends of the mold is removed to permit the mold to be disengaged. The mold thus functions to form the joint, and also maintains a constant and even temperature at the various points so that the solder circulates and thoroughly penetrates all the spaces between the elements.

While the arrangements of this invention have been illustrated in a certain specific form, it will be understood that they are capable of embodiment in other forms. It will also be understood that while the improved device is shown as applied to form a joint between certain types and sizes of cable, it is also adapted to form joints-between other types and various sizes of cables or the like.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric mold for forming joints between cables comprising disks laterally spaced from each other and perforated to receive and be permanently united with the cable ends, an annulus having two pivoted i sections, means for clam ing said sections together over the edges o said disks to hold the disks in place, and heating elements associated with each section.

2. An electric mold for forming oints between cables comprising spaced disks formed of fusible material and perforated to receive and be permanently united with the cable ends, two substantially semi-circular sections pivotally associated at one of their ends and clamped together at their other ends for engaging the peripheries of the disks and forming therewith a chamber, said clamped ends having an opening therethrough for the introduction of molten solder, said solder forming with the disks a joint for the cable ends, and heating elements associated with each section maintaining a constant temperature for the solder.

8. An electric mold for forming joints between cables comprising disks formed of fusible material and being perforated to re- 'ceive and be permanentl united with the cable ends, two substantially semi-circular sections for engaging the peripheries of the disks to form therewith a chamber, each section having oppositely positioned plate members so related to form a casing, means for pivotally connecting said sections together at one end and clamping them together at the other end, said clamped ends having an opening therethrough for the admission of molten solder into the chamber, heating elements positioned in the casing of each section for maintaining the molten solder at a desired temperature, and insulating means for said heating elements.

4. An electric mold for forming joints between cable ends comprising disks formed of fusible material and being perforated to receive and be permanently united with the cable ends, two substantially semi-circular casing sections for engaging the peripheries of the disks to form therewith a chamber, means for pivotally connecting said sections together at one end and clamping them together at the other end, said clamping end having an opening therethrough for the admission of molten solder into the chamber, resistance units comprising heating elements in each casing section for maintaining the molten solder 'at a desired temperature and means for electrically insulating sai resistance units fromsaid casings.

In testimony whereof, I have si ed my name to this specification this 211511 day of April, 1930.

JOHN F. OSBORNE. 

